From the candy-machine to Lego Robots, the first edition of the Weird Week in Tilburg was a complete success.
The Weird Week is being organised to challenge students and to let them discover their talents by taking them out of their comfort zone and by creating new insights and solutions. Therefore, this week the Stappegoor campus of Fontys Hogeschool ICT was being substituted for the creative environment of the Hall of Fame. Hugo Vrijdag, director of the Ontdekstation (Dutch for 'discovery station') in Tilburg, was the commissioning party. This led to a unique collaboration between students of Fontys HBO-ICT and children of year 6 en 7 of primary school De Borne in Tilburg.
Inspired by the story of the Ontdekstation, first, second and third year students went to work on creative inventions together with the primary school kids. On day 1, the Monday, the story of the Ontdekstation was read aloud by the blue princess. Next it was time for some serious brainstorming on the part of the students and the kids, who were working in groups. How do you organise a brainstorm session with kids? A new experience for everyone!
On day 2, 3 and 4 the students transformed the ideas into concepts, which in turn became products. A candy-machine was invented, as well as an excuse-machine, a chill-machine and a Madierodam (a variation on Madurodam, a miniature park in the Netherlands). And many more things!
While the students were busy with the designs, the children, aided by a few ICT-students, built Lego Robots, programmed an app and were given a lesson in Marketing. It turned out to not only be educative for the children, but also for the ICT-students!
Day 5 was the day of the Exposition; the children came back to the Hall of Fame to see 'their' product. Over 20 inventions were ready for testing! And that was what happened! A jury consisting of children and teachers provided feedback on the products. The jury was very satisfied! Visitors were also impressed with the quality of the products that the students had made in 4 days."It was a Weird Week to remember!" says Sonja Nieuwenhuis, project leader of the Weird Week Tilburg.
Want to know more about the Ontdekstation Tilburg and the story?
http://www.braintrigger-challenge.nl/opdrachten/overige/ontdekstation
You can view all the pictures and videos of the Weird Week on the Facebook event page:
